diff --git a/services/core/java/com/android/server/am/ProviderMap.java b/services/core/java/com/android/server/am/ProviderMap.java
index a6997f944a4c0..32d03daedef32 100644
--- a/services/core/java/com/android/server/am/ProviderMap.java
+++ b/services/core/java/com/android/server/am/ProviderMap.java
@@ -382,18 +382,29 @@ public final class ProviderMap {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Invokes IApplicationThread.dumpProvider() on the thread of the specified provider if
-     * there is a thread associated with the provider.
+     * Before invoking IApplicationThread.dumpProvider(), print meta information to the print
+     * writer and handle passed flags.
      */
     private void dumpProvider(String prefix, FileDescriptor fd, PrintWriter pw,
             final ContentProviderRecord r, String[] args, boolean dumpAll) {
+        for (String s: args) {
+            if (!dumpAll && s.contains("--proto")) {
+                if (r.proc != null && r.proc.thread != null) {
+                    dumpToTransferPipe(null , fd, pw, r, args);
+                }
+                return;
+            }
+        }
         String innerPrefix = prefix + "  ";
         synchronized (mAm) {
             pw.print(prefix); pw.print("PROVIDER ");
-                    pw.print(r);
-                    pw.print(" pid=");
-                    if (r.proc != null) pw.println(r.proc.pid);
-                    else pw.println("(not running)");
+            pw.print(r);
+            pw.print(" pid=");
+            if (r.proc != null) {
+                pw.println(r.proc.pid);
+            } else {
+                pw.println("(not running)");
+            }
             if (dumpAll) {
                 r.dump(pw, innerPrefix, true);
             }
@@ -401,23 +412,32 @@ public final class ProviderMap {
         if (r.proc != null && r.proc.thread != null) {
             pw.println("    Client:");
             pw.flush();
+            dumpToTransferPipe("      ", fd, pw, r, args);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Invokes IApplicationThread.dumpProvider() on the thread of the specified provider without
+     * any meta string (e.g., provider info, indentation) written to the file descriptor.
+     */
+    private void dumpToTransferPipe(String prefix, FileDescriptor fd, PrintWriter pw,
+            final ContentProviderRecord r, String[] args) {
+        try {
+            TransferPipe tp = new TransferPipe();
             try {
-                TransferPipe tp = new TransferPipe();
-                try {
-                    r.proc.thread.dumpProvider(
-                            tp.getWriteFd(), r.provider.asBinder(), args);
-                    tp.setBufferPrefix("      ");
-                    // Short timeout, since blocking here can
-                    // deadlock with the application.
-                    tp.go(fd, 2000);
-                } finally {
-                    tp.kill();
-                }
-            } catch (IOException ex) {
-                pw.println("      Failure while dumping the provider: " + ex);
-            } catch (RemoteException ex) {
-                pw.println("      Got a RemoteException while dumping the service");
+                r.proc.thread.dumpProvider(
+                    tp.getWriteFd(), r.provider.asBinder(), args);
+                tp.setBufferPrefix(prefix);
+                // Short timeout, since blocking here can
+                // deadlock with the application.
+                tp.go(fd, 2000);
+            } finally {
+                tp.kill();
             }
+        } catch (IOException ex) {
+            pw.println("      Failure while dumping the provider: " + ex);
+        } catch (RemoteException ex) {
+            pw.println("      Got a RemoteException while dumping the service");
         }
     }
 }